Ideas for your Walk to School Day Event

Walk and Bike to School Day events can be as simple or as complex as you want! Some event organizers choose to keep the event clear and simple by encouraging students to walk and bike to school that day, however they can. Some events feature walk/bike- at-school activities where students walk or bike around the school grounds in a parade to show support for walking and bicycling in the community. In cases where schools have some students who live too far to walk, the Walk to School Day event may feature both Walk to School and Walk-at-School activities. Other events have featured pedestrian and bicycle safety assemblies, guest speakers, and community parades.

The only criteria for an event is that it shows students how fun and healthy walking and biking can be!

If you are looking to add something to your event, here are some ideas for inspiration:

• Invite a guest speaker to talk to students. You could invite your mayor to talk about why walking and bicycling is healthy and fun. You can ask your sheriff to talk about safe walking and bicycling habits. You can even ask your principal to talk about the launch of your SRTS program!
• Before the event, have students make signs and banners that promote walking and bicycling that can be carried by the walkers.
• Organize a parade that starts in town and ends at the school. Be sure to test the walk first to make sure that the entire way is safe and accessible for students of all abilities
• Log miles/distances walked by all of the participants. Add up all the miles to see where the event walkers traveled cumulatively. (Did your event make it all the way to China?)
• Greet participants with healthy snacks and encouragement! See if your local grocer could donate fruit. Consider offering coffee to parents.

If you get stuck, contact our School Outreach Coordinators, or call the Georgia Resource Center Hotline at 1.877.436.8927.